Nokia has partnered with Safaricom to zero-rate the firmware over-the-air updates for its phones. The announcement was made by Nokia Kenya’s Ken Oyolla at iHub and also confirmed by an advert which is appearing in the Wednesday newspapers. This means that if you wan to update the core software of your Nokia phone and you are on Safaricom, you wont be charged a cent.
The move might save Nokia clients in data bundle fees even though this might not be such an urgent issue considering that a tiny minority of users knows that their phones requires updates.
So you hear that a Nokia executives are asked why developers should take them seriously and the only thing they can mention is “Our market share” which was not the case some years back. Nokia was the leader in innovation which is kind of disappointing now. Nokia is loosing an average of 15% market share yearly in many of the African countries.
The experience with apps in Nokia’s OVI store are kind of discouraging for any user out there. Even the much touted dedicated Nokia developers who always throng the iHub for the usual freebies, they rarely use the Nokia phones which are mostly gifts from the handset maker. Nokia is also quite price in many fronts even when they have not inspired for so long.
The wow effect which N9 elicited is just the same us that elicited by the E7 in London. But can it sustain the emotions? Probably No! Nokia officials especially those in Kenya are used to those who boot-lick them and massage their ears with sweet nothings. They are not managing those offices to hear the unedited truth which is backed up by hard evidence and is blunt to the core.
Nokia is still facing a lawsuit in Kenya where two students have accused it of stealing their innovation.
Anyway, let them build castles in the air.
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